The remainder of the party was a whirl of dance, delicious food and laughter as she was passed from hands to hands in some sort of celebration she didn't understand, but enjoyed none the less. Male or female, humanoid or animal, she didn't care.
She knew she was being sucked into the magic of the dance, but she gave in whole heartedly and revelled in it, the hours melting away until finally the party began to break up.
Bast had found her before she left, tracing black fingers against her jaw and kissing her forehead before sweeping gracefully from the room, leaving Etani watching her go longingly, before being pulled into a slow dance with Daemon.
"Welcome to the club," he purred and she lifted her brows in question.
"What club would that be?" she asked curiously as he drew her up against him, their movements slow and careful.
"The club of Gods of course. Do you think they would celebrate like that for just anyone?" He was amused by her lack of understanding.
"I keep saying I'm not a God," she countered and when he dipped her back, he held her there, his golden eyes hooded.
"You are though, at least once you get back to your magic. The newest Goddess of Faerie."
His lips found hers and she shivered, her arms snaking up around his neck. She met his kiss with her own, not caring if they were the centre of attention.
A delicate cough had him drawing back from her and they looked up at Sobek who was smirking slyly, his hand on his mask.
"You're welcome to stay and recover from your travels. We have baths and clean clothes prepared for you all," the God said.
Shoving Daemon off her, she took Sobek by the hand and pulled him into a tight, hard hug.
"You are the most wonderful creature in all the worlds!" she gasped and he threw a smug smile at Daemon before leading her away, his warm arm wrapped around her middle. She went eagerly, leaving Daemon and Uzo to follow after them.
She stripped out of her dress and undergarments the moment she hit the steamy room, ignoring the men behind her as they struggled to strip.
The bathing room was enormous and there was only one giant tub that one could easily swim in, but she didn't care. Pulling the pins out of her hair, she was finally forced to give up, turning on Sobek who looked like he was about to faint.
"Help me, would you?" she asked and glared at Uzo and Daemon who had already streaked past her and into the water.
Sobek's long fingers made quick work of the pins and she smiled her thanks before jumping into the bath. She immediately melted into it, fully submerged in the hot water and revelling in it.
She popped back up and looked around at the God who was settling himself down by the bath on a bench.
"So, how many do you have left?" he asked, offering them bottles when asked for them.
"The pixie was what? Thirty-seven?" She looked to Daemon who nodded as he scrubbed his hair, eyes clenched shut before he dunked his head forward into the water.
She waded across to Sobek who squinted down at her before picking out a bottle. She took it, opening it to smell an oddly spicy scent that reminded her of Nayishma.
"So that leaves twelve of the birth species plus the lich and the vampires. I think there are only three left from Faerie."
"Which ones are those?" he asked as he handed her a pot of sand that she accepted politely, using the sand to scrub her skin raw.
"Aswang, Dominick and the Strigoi."
Sobek looked like he was choking and she looked up at him, concerned.
"Are you alright?"
"The Strigoi aren't going to help you," he said, sounding horrified. Daemon looked up, frowning.
"Why not?" Uzo demanded as he moved up beside her.
"Surely they will if the loss of the humans is at risk," she demanded, fear washing through her.
"The Strigoi don't feed off humans, they feed of the immortal, it's what makes them Strigoi," the golden God lamented.
She looked at Daemon who was frowning, chewing on his inner cheek as he thought.
"Is there anything we can offer them?" she asked, doing her best to ignore her anxiety.
"Likely they will want you," Sobek said as he motioned to her.
"Why does everyone want me all of a sudden?" she demanded.
Daemon snorted in amusement. "They've always wanted you, now it's just more important. To have a young Goddess and Creator on their side?"
She squinted at him and lowered herself into the water until only her eyes were above it, refusing to listen to him.
"You can't hide from this, little one. We need them."
"I'm sure you can try and bargain with them," Sobek said but he didn't sound overly certain, increasing her anxiety.
"Do you think we could reason with them? A lot of us will die off if there are no humans," she asked finally as she surfaced.
"It will make it easier for them to return to power," Sobek countered, shocking her by the news.
"The Strigoi were in power?" she demanded, both Daemon and Sobek nodding.
"Before the human world was created and the Fae became more powerful, the Strigoi were the leaders. There was always the Courts, but the Queens were controlled by the Strigoi. They will do whatever it takes to get their hands on a Queen they might be able to control again."
Frowning, she shook her head and poured a healthy amount of oil into her hand. Using it to scrub her hair, she ducked her head under the water.
She wasn't about to let herself become the tool of the Strigoi, or any of them. But she didn't know what to expect from them and so she would just have to wait and see.
"Is Stacius still alive?" Daemon asked, looking relieved when Sobek nodded. "Well, we will go directly to him, he might help us."
They finished their bathing and dried off without much more being said between them, everyone lost in their thoughts.
The clothes they were given were sturdy leathers and soft fabrics in various shades of blacks. She was delighted to see she had been given pants and a comfortable looking top that covered her entirely.
Braiding her hair back from her face, she looked around at Sobek, sweeping the God into a tight hug.
His arms wrapped around her in return and he squeezed her, his lips firm on the top of her head.
"If nothing else, you are welcome to come live with me," he said and laughed as she aimed a punch for his ribs that he leapt back from.
He reached up and pulled down the mask, the stiff mask coming back to life as his handsome face was hidden and he grinned, sharp teeth flashing.
"We'll see you soon I hope," Daemon said and Sobek nodded, watching as they left through the tear in realities that dumped them out into a large cave with a waterfall opening the egg shaped space to the sky above.